


Where the Monsters Sleep

by morgay



Category: Sneaky Pete - Fandom
Genre: Anger, Angst, Angstoholic, Audrey is a dick, Brotherly Love, Carly is nosy, Character Death, Character Study, Comments would be very much appreciated, Conning, Crying, Death, Depression, Gen, Grief, Homicide, Hurt Marius Josipovic, Hurt/Comfort, I’m sorry but it’s been enjoyable to write, Julia saves the day, Kudos maybe?, Marius feels, Memories, Mid-Season 01, Murder, Mystery, Otto is my sweetheart, Overheard Conversations, Past Child Abuse, Sadness, Short story (3 parts), So much angst, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Trauma, Verbal Abuse, conman, insert heart here, no ships, trigger warning I guess??, ty and enjoy, ”Pete Murphy”
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-16 15:30:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14167941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgay/pseuds/morgay
Summary: Marius deals with the aftermath of Eddie’s death. He has to find where the monsters sleep before he’s torn down by the very creatures he seeks.





	1. The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little three parter angst thing I did over the course of two weeks. I recently finished Sneaky Pete’s second season and Marius’s threat to kill himself during the motel scene really inspired me. And I’m rewatching season one so consider that a motivation as well. Heavy loads of angst, suicidal thoughts, death, etc. This is strictly AU and Eddie isn’t actually dead, just wanted to explore Marius’s character a little more. This is my first oneshot of this cast so my apologies if the characters are slightly OOC. Hope you enjoy anyway!

Marius was sure this was the worst he'd ever felt.

Fuck Charlie's identity being exposed. Fuck watching his druggie mother destroy herself with heroine. Fuck the way he dumped Katie for someone newer and better at the con job. Fuck how he'd had to listen to Eddie's toe get chopped off.  Fuck it all. It meant nothing compared to this. _Nothing_.

The tears hadn't lasted for long. Marius felt so fucking guilty for not being able to cry more. He was responsible for his own brother's death. And he couldn't even shed enough tears. He'd causes this. Of course he had; he destroyed everything he touched. Even since he'd been a child his mother had made sure to remind him of what a fuck up he was.

_"Your brother Ed was the only one we wanted. The perfect kid. But you? No, you were just a mistake. When I found out I was pregnant with your stupid ass I thought about killing myself. You ruined my life. I could be in fuckin' Hawaii now but no, you had to be born, you worthless piece of shit. And because of you Danny left. It's your fault. It's all your fault."_

The words had stung for a while, but Marius had stuck it out because he had a job. He had to care for Eddie. His little brother was the only person that had ever given meaning to his fucked up life and Marius intended to keep him safe at all costs, always stay loyal to him no matter what.

But it didn't work. It never worked, did it? Everyone he had loved left: his father, after he was born. His mother, after she'd overdosed in front of twelve year old Marius, cradling her boy in her arms and murmuring comforts to herself. And now his brother was gone. He'd been ripped away from him and the numb emotions the male had tried to hard to keep were shattered. All the hard work was undone like screws, now he was just a broken human with no purpose. No purpose without his hammer.

Several times on the drive back home (or Pete's grandparents' house, who he was currently taking the identity of) he'd thought about "accidentally" letting the car skid off to the side and crash into a tree. It wouldn't be so bad. The guilt was eating him alive inside, the fact that he'd fucked over everyone he'd known was finally beginning to tear apart his mind. Fuck, why did he have to feel? Why couldn't he be a mindless, numb robot to the world? Why did he fuck everything up?

_So many questions I'll never have the answers to. Maybe Mom was right._

He was the one that had gotten Eddie into the conman business anyway. But his brother wasn't fit for the job; he was too sympathetic, too concerned with the well-being of others, too naïve and gullible. But Eddie had just wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps. The least he could do was impress a little, right? After all, showing his baby brother a few little tricks couldn't hurt.

But oh, how it had hurt. It had cost the both of them several personal losses and involvements in fucking psychotic people. Of course, without it, Marius wouldn't have met Katie, or Marjorie, or Karolina. But was it honestly worth it at this point? His fucking brother was dead and he was completely faking an identity to escape from Vince like a coward.

His original plan had been to steal the money and run off. Then, after Eddie had been taken hostage by Vince and had his fucking toe chopped off, Marius had wanted the money for his brother. But with three weeks finally passing, Vince seemed less than concerned with offing Eddie. And so that's what they had done. With Marius right there on the phone, put on mute, the men telling his brother how much Marius hated him.

It hadn't been true. It had been fucking torture but there wasn't enough time to track a location, not enough time to kick their asses, not enough time to come up with a lie to save Eddie. No. He was hopeless as he listened to the gunshot, a shiver crawling up his spine as soft sobs wrenched from his throat.

_FUCK!_

He hadn't even realized he'd nearly smashed the window with his hand as he peeled into the driveway of the house. Marius forced himself to stay in control of his breathing, letting the oxygen filter through his lips, in and out, in and out. When that was under control, the brown-haired male sat in the car for a bit, the red puffiness around his eyes fading away. He didn't allow any more tears to be shed.

He couldn't lose it in front of his fake family.

Praying to god there was no family dinner, (he hadn't checked his phone since last night, after he'd been pulled into the phone by Vince and-... and then he'd ran like the coward he was until crawling back to this horrid place fifteen hours later.) Marius let his shaking hands fumble on the doorknob. He took in another breath and opened the door, scanning his surroundings as he walked inside. There wasn't any clamor of noises, so maybe Marius had gotten off lucky. Maybe-

"PETE!"

Fuck. Fuck luck, Marius was one hundred percent sure if there was a god that he was out against him for a personal vendetta (which was understandable, considering everything Marius had done), but it didn't make it any less annoying with the shitty situations he got himself into. However, he'd usually be able to wriggle his way out of them.

Except for Eddie.

Shivering, Marius realized he hadn't said anything and mentally slapped himself. He stared around the dinner table, a fake smile making its way on his features. "H-Hey family. What's up?"

"Where have you been?! We thought you had up and left us again!" Otto embraced his "grandson" in a hug and Marius felt his whole demeanor become scrunched and awkward, but he reluctantly let the old man squeeze him half to death and let out a puff of air when he was released from the hug. Audrey looked a little hurt, but her icy gaze masked what she had previously been feeling. Even Julia and her kids were here, and it looked like Taylor had made room for the family. Carly stared at Marius, eyes narrowing.

"So Pete, where ya been?" the black-haired teen asked.

 _She knows. She knows something is wrong but I need to throw her off my track. How? Think, think, think. FUCK. I can't think right now_. His mind was numb and fuzzy, eating away at any plans he could come up with and he was left with nothing, no genius beating in the back of his mind this time.

"Out." Probably the worst answer he could've given but it was the only word that would be able to leave his lips without him bursting into tears. His throat burned, his lungs felt like they were on fire, he couldn't breathe. Everything hurt.

"Out _where_?" Audrey hissed, the old woman standing up angrily. Julia's eyes widened slightly and Taylor looked away awkwardly. She noticed their expressions and sneered. "Excuse me for being worried, but Maggie left us over twenty years ago and hasn't returned. Pete is her son, so it's only normal to think he might have disappeared again."

"Grandma, I assure you that's not the case." Marius's tone became oddly calm. It almost scared himself how quickly he could fake his emotions. Then, Audrey looked up at him, eyes softening. "I just had to go to the city to do something, took a little too long."

Otto looked relieved to hear that Marius, or Pete in his mind, wasn't leaving, smiling widely. "Well, that's great! Pete, why don't you join us for dinner?"

Seeing Marius's pleading gaze, Julia quickly turned to Otto. "Grandpa, Pete looks real tired. Maybe we should, y'know, let our good old cousin rest."

"Rest my ass!" Otto growled. "He's eating with us and that's final. I've seen enough of this family break off, I won't allow it to happen again."

Not having enough energy to argue, Marius reluctantly slipped into the seat next to Taylor. He flinched when his "cousin" tackled him in a chokehold. "Buddy!!! Hey I didn't get to say anything while everyone was arguing so here's my welcome!"

"Taylor, stop being a man-child!" Audrey scolded, passing the potatoes.

Marius felt the life drain out of him almost immediately. For a moment he wished Taylor would accidentally land on his head and snap his neck, or keep him gasping for air a little too long. If only he could die.

Horror trickled into Marius's gaze when he realized what he was telling himself. _I can't die. I have to make Vince pay for what he did. I have to make sure Eddie knows I didn't hate him, never. Even if he's gone..maybe he's still watching down on me._ He mentally shook his head, frowning. That was stupid talk, he just wanted some good old revenge. And since Marius had nothing else to live for.. it was almost too perfect.

Taylor eventually let go and Marius huffed, staggering to his feet. "L-Look I'm sorry, I have some stuff to work on okay? Goodnight." Ignoring the family's shocked faces the brown-haired male turned on his heel and trudged up the stairs, the darkness swallowing his thoughts as he entered his room. Marius didn't even take his shoes off, he just fell face-first into his pillow and curled in on himself.

He was so numb.

 

* * *

Carly

Something was going on with Pete, and Carly would be damned if she didn't find out. After the family had murmured concerned words after Pete had gone to bed, they'd somberly cleaned up dinner and headed to bed themselves. The sudden mood change in her cousin was affecting everyone, and Carly was a little pissed off about it. What right did Pete have to fuck up this family more? She, Julia's, and Taylor's parents had died in a car crash, and Pete's mom had run off with him over twenty years ago. If he was now making things worse, Carly was going to fix it.

So she stayed up, scrolling through her phone or just sitting, staring at the wall blankly. She'd heard her cousin sneak out several times throughout the last month, and despite not always knowing where he was going, Carly was determined to catch him in the act this time and demand to know what the hell was going on.

Ugh. Why did this family always keep secrets from her?

Suddenly, Carly heard a light thud. She jerked up, eyes widening when she realized it was the bedroom beside her. A wide smile found itself on her features. _Yes! He's up! That's Pete! Now I can confront him_. Holding her breath, the seventeen-year-old hopped out of her bed and looked on the roof. She saw a dark shape jump down and smirked. What a prize.

Quickly throwing on her tennis shoes Carly quietly ran downstairs, opening the creaking door and letting it softly shut behind her. She narrowed her eyes, looking around for her cousin. Where had he gone? Fuck, if she lost him-

Pete's voice cut through the night sky and it sounded...angry? Nervous? She'd never really heard her cousin scared. He always seemed to know what he was doing, particularly involving manipulating other people.

_Let's see what he's up to._

Sneaking up to the side of the barn, Carly looked through the window to see her cousin standing there, throwing a hissy fit over his phone. She scowled, wondering what was so wrong with him.

It couldn't be that bad, surely?

 

* * *

 

Marius

"God fucking damn answer the phone Marjorie." He held it aggressively to his ear once more, pacing around the barn, anxiety prickling through his fingers and causing his heart rate to bump up.

The hum of the telephone ring settled his mind for a moment. Then, she answered. "Hello?"

" _Marjorie_!" Pete wanted to crumple to the ground in relief. She was alive and alright. Then again that's not why he was calling.

"Marius?" The British woman sounded slightly surprised that he was calling at one in the morning, but he wasn't concerned whether or not he'd awoken her. After calling four times she should fucking respond. "What's wrong? You sound panicked."

Marius let out a deflated, pathetic laugh. "Oh, what's wrong? Hahah. Hahahaha. Funny joke, Marjorie."

The other side of the line went silent and the male worried he'd lost her for a moment. "Marius, he was a friend to us all. Karolina is struggling-"

"Fuck her," Marius hissed. "The fact that she can still stick with that piece of shit after what he did to Eddie tells me how _loyal_ she really is."

"You can't possibly fathom her situation-"

"Oh, I understand quite well!" Marius's voice raised as he waved his hands. "Because, you know, when someone kills a friend's only fucking family, you continue to suck their dick, right?"

"Marius, calm down-"

"Don't _fucking_ tell me to calm down." His voice became icily cold in a matter of seconds, his voice shaking with rage and hurt. "Eddie is dead because of me. Because I got him involved with Vince."

"Please-"

"And don't even tell me I'm wrong. I'm not. Because the moment my mother overdosed in front of my eyes I vowed to take care of my baby brother. But now? Now, he's dead. Now, I have nothing, no one, and no reason to live. What can I do except get my revenge on the person that pulled the trigger? And then...destroy the monster that got Eddie murdered in the first place."

Before Marjorie could answer (who was probably still in shock from his confession), Marius ended the call and took in a shaky breath. A sob left his lips and he tried to cover it with his hand but it didn't work. He hurt. He hurt so fucking bad all over and- and- he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to do what he was going to do _tomorrow_. There was no waiting.

To end Vince... and then end himself.

 

* * *

 

Carly

Carly was royally fucking confused. Her brows furrowed as she leaned against the creaking barn, listening to every sharp intake of breath her cousin made. There were a few words she couldn't make out, but Carly would try her best to interpret the gaps.

"Marjorie!" That was the first actual name Carly had heard come out of Pete's mouth during this night exchange. So it was a woman, most likely, and Pete had never mentioned her. Why? _A secret girlfriend? Someone from his past??_

She heard fake laughing and promptly after the words, "Funny joke, Marjorie," Carly wondered what could be bothering her cousin so much. Especially to be this sarcastic.

" _Fuck her_." The words were spat out of Pete's mouth so harshly the teen flinched back. They dripped with venom, but she could hear a trace of regret as well. Damn, Pete was really pissed at someone. Who, she wondered?

"...after what he did to Eddie tells me how _loyal_ she really is." Carly narrowed her eyes. Eddie was another name she was unfamiliar with- most likely an old friend, right? And Pete was angry because... this woman he was angry at was with someone that had hurt Eddie, possibly? She frowned, trying to put the pieces together. Because of her reeling mind, she missed a couple more words.

"Don't _fucking_ tell me to calm down." Woah. Pete really had some anger stored inside of him because she'd never heard him this angry (even if they'd only known each other for about a month).

The next words made her heart drop.

"Eddie is dead because of _me_. Because _I_ got him involved with Vince."

Eddie was dead. That's why Pete must have been acting so odd at dinner- and she had known that glint in his eyes, the way he looked so haunted, just like Julia or Taylor did when they spaced out for too long. And his friend's death must have made him really fucking pissed off, too. And just by listening, Carly was sure she wouldn't want to feel the wrath of a pissed off Pete.

"...don't even .. overdosed.. ... dead.. revenge." Carly gulped. Someone who wanted revenge was not a safe person to be around; she knew that.

_Is Pete okay, though?_

The call ended after her cousin spoke a few more words, and silence shuttered through the barn. She was about to up and leave, but heard a choked sob.

Shock pulsed through her.

Pete was _crying_?

That was the news of the century. Just like she'd never seen her cousin truly angry, she'd also never seen or heard him cry- much less sob. Because the soft gasps of air coming from Pete made her heart break and she couldn't help but feel sorrowful for him and his current state. _I was wrong to jump on his ass. He isn't doing anything to the family; he's just grieving. Why didn't I see it sooner?_

The realization hit her: that's probably why he'd been gone for a day. _If he went to the city it was to escape from his emotions... why didn't he tell any of us?_

She wondered if Pete even trusted any of them. _His mom ripped him away from his family without remorse or consent. Who knows what he saw while he was on the road for more than half his life. I know he didn't learn his skills from being an insurance worker; no one just looks that up on YouTube and masters it immediately. No, he's an expert. He's precise and doesn't fuck up. Maybe he was a private investigator for some big company- I figure not insurance because a knack for pickpocketing wouldn't be on their list..._

His cries continued, and she watched as he leaned against the side of the barn, the shadows covering most of his face. But she saw the tears leaking out of his eyes and the way he furiously wiped them away, trying to make them stop... but they just kept coming.

Carly understood. There had been a dark period of her life in which she wanted to know so much about her parents, and the fact that everyone refused to tell her really, really upset her. She remembered crying for hours, just like Pete was now. And that was not a good feeling- especially to be left alone during it.

Before, Carly would've left her cousin alone. After seeing his angry state of mind she hadn't wanted to get on the bad side of him, even if they were family. But now? Now that she'd watched him cry actual tears of sorrow and regret? She wouldn't walk away. Not this time. Not ever again.

So, countering up her bravery, Carly pushed herself to her feet and flanked the edge of the barn, taking in a small intake of breath before pushing the creaky doors open.

Everything went silent in an instant. Pete's sobs cut off on cue and the world felt suddenly.. peaceful. But there was a very depressing vibe in this place and the teen knew exactly why.

"Pete?" she called out hesitantly, the barn too dark for her to actually see any figure.

No response.

"Pete, I know you're in here."

Silence.

"What are you doing, stalking me?" She let out a sigh of relief, but was a bit confused to hear his unwavering, snarky voice. Her eyes flickered to the side and Pete appeared from the shadows, his head slightly turned as to hide his puffy eyes. _He really knows how to play it off. But I’m smarter than he thinks._

"No. Yes. Maybe." Carly huffed and examined the male. He glared down at her for a moment and she got the full force of his face; red, bloodshot eyes, a snotty nose, his features seeming sharper in the moonlight. Damn.

"You look like shit," she said casually.

Pete snorted. "Thanks for the compliment."

Carly's face twisted into a look of amusement. "Whatcha doin' in here, Pete? It's, like, one in the morning."

"Nothing. Hanging around. Can't sleep." He furrowed his brows. "Although I feel I should be the one asking _you_ that."

She stiffened. The tables had turned, but she could fend him off. No biggie. "Um, because I can? And I'm not the one crying."

Pete was deathly quiet and she wondered if he was actually going to admit it, even if it was already blatantly obvious. He cleared his throat, but it came out as a guttural whimper. "What? Carly, are you fucking high?"

She found fury bubbling in her chest. If she'd been an animal she would have bared her teeth defensively. "Really? You're gonna play that off as me smoking weed? Come on, Pete, even if I _was_ in the clouds I could still tell you've been a mess in here. Besides, I heard your phone call." He opened his mouth and she stopped him with a hand. "Don't play dumb with me, Pete. I saw. I _heard_. Eddie? Vince? Marjorie? Please, I'd love for you to fill me in on who they are, as you've never mentioned them before."

Pete looked angry for a moment but his gaze turned neutral. "I'd actually love for _you_ to fill me in on why you're so fucking obsessed with my private life. Personal space, much?"

Carly scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry for not having my full trust in you after you stole from me."

"You did it first," he countered.

The teen clamped her mouth shut for a moment, her mind raking over something to say. "And you just now come back, over twenty years later? Knowing all this- this manipulative, con stuff, so maybe I'm a little suspicious."

"I already explained to you and the rest of the family why I returned when I did," he said smoothly. "Then again I doubt you were paying attention."

She clenched her fists. "Don't blow this off on me. Even if the rest don't believe me when I tell them-"

Pete whipped to her, a blue, lapping fire burning in the depths of his irises. "Don't fuck with me, Carly. If you knew an ounce of what I said then you wouldn't _fucking_ be so pathetic and selfish."

Hurt sparked in the female's chest, her eyes widening a little at the way he furiously snapped at her. She really hadn't ever seen him this angry. He really is upset. _Why do I try and tip him over the edge all the time?_

Her lip quivered but she forced herself not to cry. Not right now, not when Pete was hurting more. She refused to be as self-centered as everyone thought she was.

"Fine." Those were the only words that came out of her mouth. Those were the only words that _could_ come out of her mouth. "You should-"

Pete had turned, his face shielded from view. "Go to bed, Carly."

"Pete-"

" _Go. To. Bed_."

When her cousin turned around Carly expected another annoyed and furious look. But instead his eyes were watering, tears pooling down his cheeks. "Please."

Carly didn't need any more than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for part 2 kiddos.
> 
> Drop a comment maybe? It’d really motivate me and maybe the next part will come out even sooner! Thanks y’all :D


	2. The Middle

Marius hadn't slept well that night. After the conversation with Carly, the conman had beaten himself to a pulp - mentally, of course. He scowled at the fact that he'd let himself show such emotion in front of another person that he hardly knew. Shame burned inside of his stomach and fizzled up his throat, choking him with embarrassment and panic. He couldn't have Carly telling anyone else about this. Why hadn't he been more careful? Why had Carly followed him into the barn in the first place? Things weren't making sense and Marius sure as hell wasn't in the right state of mind to be accounting for every single angle.

So, after being confronted ruthlessly and letting his tired mind spill his guts, Marius had dragged himself to bed. He remembered staring at the ceiling for quite a long time, tossing and turning every few seconds; his mind was having a fucking meltdown and, despite just wanting to sleep, he couldn't let himself fall into the dark abyss.

He did, eventually. When he woke up he thrashed around in the covers for a few moments, anxious that he'd been captured by Vince or that his identity would be figured out by the family. He'd eventually calmed down and realized where he was. Didn't help the fact that terror resided deep within his bones. And so... Marius wondered if all of this had been worth it. He wasn't sure.

 _I tried_ , he attempted to reassure himself, but to no avail. _Though.. did I really? I was going to take the money for my own greed at first. Then I told myself I could find a way around the problem with Eddie. And... god. God, it all went to such shit. Lance and Chayton had to get involved, shit went down with Winslow, Carly started investigating me. I've never met a family so fucking crazy._ Even his heroine-addict of a mother hadn't compared to this shit.

He let his lips fall into a firm line, throwing himself out of bed. Marius fixed his hair carefully with his fingers, furrowing his brows to make sure he looked at least slightly presentable. The conman fumbled with his jacket before hopping down the stairs, grabbing a granola bar and ignoring the smell of eggs and toast in the kitchen. "I'll be back later," he called, not bothering to listen to whatever else was said as he stuffed the snack in his mouth.

He walked out to the car, faltering for a moment. Despite telling himself how much he hated this family, Marius had grown quite fond of the environment. The way Pete had described this place back in prison corresponded to now so closely. The grass was almost a neon shade of lime, the blue sky casting over the area like fluttering blankets. The trees hugged the ground and at dusk the amber sky would snake through the foliage and create a rippling effect. He truly did enjoy being here; the only problem was the people.

 _Julia is waaaaay too clingy. Carly needs to back the fuck off. Audrey is a total bitch and Otto is a little more than trusting. And Taylor?_ God, Marius hated that man with a burning passion. He wasn't sure how the real Pete could've lived here for so long without going crazy. No wonder his mom left- Marius sure as hell would have. _But would I? I didn't run away from my mom...but that's because I was grounded with Eddie. I would never leave him. Maybe it would be different if I hadn't been raised in such a shithole. Then again, you can't get too picky in this life_. That's what Marius had always told himself to get by.

"You seem a little spaced out, stranger." The voice caused Marius to jump, caught completely off guard by the person. He showed a fake smile and tilted his head toward Julia, showing a _"what do you mean?"_ face. She scowled and prodded his shoulder lightly. "You know what I mean. You've been staring at the ground for, like, five minutes. Plus let's add to the fact that you're being a little weird.."

"I am absolutely _not_ being weird," Marius corrected humorously, pointing his finger at her. "I'm just a bit caught up in work, y'know?"

"Oh, right, the work you haven't been to in several days? My bad, forgot." She crossed her arms and cocked a brow.

"Oh no. You're getting that look again," he joked half-heartedly. In truth, Marius was highly uncomfortable and wanted to finally just leave. It seemed everyone in this god forsaken family was holding him back.

"Yeah, it's the look of I-know-something's-up-but-can't-put-my-finger-on-it," Julia scowled. "So? Spit it out. It's not like I'm the big bad wolf over here."

"No, you certainly are not Audrey," Marius agreed. He looked down for a moment. "Look, Julia, great talk but y'know, I have to go to the city and all that jazz." The conman whirled around breezily, opening the car door. "I'll be back later. Don't wait up on me."

"But Pete-"

"Julia, I'm fine. See?" He turned and flashed her an awfully precise fake grin. "I'm just so ecstatic to see my parole officer!" Marius snorted, the lie slipping off his tongue with ease. "Now, let me have a breath, eh? Can't have everyone jumping on my ass all at once."

Julia hesitated for a moment before moving forward quickly. Marius flinched, not having expected such a reaction. His whole body became tense and he stiffened when arms were wrapped around his back. The hug was all too close for comfort and Marius found himself breaking away from the embrace quite quickly. He laughed awkwardly and tried to smile, though it didn't come out in the best manner. "Err, thanks, Julia. Catch up later, eh?" The female nodded and waved as Marius slipped into the driver's seat of the car, closing the door and letting out a relieved puff of breath. No more crazy family- he was alone with his thoughts again.

The thoughts that inevitably drifted back to Eddie.

 _Fuck off Marius. You don't need to think about him right now, just get to Marjorie and fill her in a little- or..or something_. She was probably the best friend he had and the conman didn't want to fuck up his relationship with her before he went on some suicide mission. _She can't stop me. She knows she won't be able to. I guess I just want to say goodbye._

A lump formed in his throat, anxiety prickling in his chest as he headed for the city. This was going to be a long drive.

 

* * *

 Carly

"So? You did it?"

"Yes, Carly, I did your little task, just as you asked." Julia smiled sarcastically. "Hm, speaking of, this makes us even, right?"

"Yup. Totally even." The black-haired teenager smirked at her older sister and tipped her head to the side. "You think he noticed?"

"What? Me putting a bug on him?" She waved Carly off. "Nah. He was way too uncomfortable."

The teen scoffed. "Does he not like being touched or something?" Her thoughts inevitably flitted back to last night and she almost regretted her words. Pete was going through a hard time right now- did she really need to sit back and judge him?

_This is why I had Julia tap him. So I can hear what he says when he goes... well, when he goes wherever he's going!_

"Blah blah blah-" That's all Carly had been able to distinguish coming from Julia's mouth- mindless blabber, "-you're kinda nosy, just saying."

"No I am not..!" Carly protested, eyes widening. She then ducked her head and thought for a moment. "Okay, backtrack. Maybe a bit, but you didn't see Cousin Pete last night. I have my reasons."

Julia cocked a brow but didn't question further, instead straightening up and brushing some dust off of her jacket. "Well, better get going. Don't want Audrey to yell at me do I?"

"Mmmm. Good luck. She's grumpier than usual today- think it's because of the whole Pete thing last night?" Carly leaned back in her chair.

The blonde-haired woman shrugged. "Dunno. Not my problem and I don't really care. She can act like a mean old bear, as long as she doesn't get in the way of me I'm fine. But I also don't want to face her wrath. So uh. Guess we'll see."

Carly nodded slowly and smiled, watching Julia leave before her face fell flat. She quickly scrambled up to her room, plugging her headphones in and letting them slide into her ears. The teenager laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the steady breathing of Pete, the rumbling of a car engine in the background.

_Whatever's going on with Pete, I'm going to find out; nothing will get in the way of that._

 

* * *

Marius

Marius's fingers tapped at the steering wheel impatiently as he waited for Marjorie's library to open. His chocolate eyes flitted around the street before he noticed the familiar frame of a woman opening the front door, a stack of books perched on her side. The British female walked into the building and disappeared from sight.

Marius let a soft smile sink onto his lips until he forced the emotional look to disappear when he stepped out of the car. The brown-haired male pulled his jacket closer to his body and quickly scampered across the street, head ducked as to avoid detection as he entered the library. An odd feeling of anxiety prickled through his body but Marius hoped it was just a temporary thing.

Clearly surprised at already having a customer at opening time, Marjorie turned around with wide eyes. "Hi, how may I-" Her voice fell flat and she gawked at the conman for a moment. However, Marjorie eventually straightened up her shoulders and tilted her chin forward with a resting smile. "Marius."

"Marjorie." The male scanned the bookstore with his sharp gaze and let his fingers trail over the section of novels closest to him.

"I didn't expect you to show up so early." He noticed that, if only for a brief moment, caution and concern sparked in her gaze, but it was gone when he blinked. Marius wondered if he'd imagined it. "After what you said last night, I have to admit I was a little worried."

Marius shrugged and waved her off with a hand. "Well, you know my reasons."

She cocked a brow. "You weren't nearly as upset when Charlie-"

"Eddie was my _fucking_ brother," Marius seethed, glaring at the woman. She realized her mistake and looked away in shame. "Not some guy who I was close to. Yeah, Charlie's death affected all of us, but you can blame me."

"Marius, no one blames you." Her voice softened ever so slightly and it pissed the conman off. "We know you didn't mean-"

"Exactly! I didn't _mean_ to get us caught, but I  _did_ , okay? Karolina, Eddie and me watched as Vince blew a bullet straight into Charlie's chest. Do I still get nightmares? Yes. Do I still feel guilt? Yes. But I was able to move on." His heart broke a little. "I'm not sure I'll be able to move on from Eddie. That's the different between your family and a buddy."

"You're thinking of doing something stupid, aren't you?" Marjorie concluded, a serious look plastered on her face. "Karolina-"

"Fuck her."

"Will you let me _finish_?" Marius shut up and watched as the British woman pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers, sighing heavily. "Karolina told me that you freaked out after Eddie- well, you know. After his toe was cut off. She also enlightened me on the fact that you had a tank of gasoline and planned to set Vince's whole place on fire." Marjorie crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. "Is this the kind of stupid I'm going to have to watch you go through with?"

Marius scowled, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets and looking away stubbornly. "At least you know you can't stop me."

"You didn't answer the question."

"I don't know. I'm still contemplating on whether or not this crazy ass family will provide any leverage for me. I doubt it."

"Is the money still there? Can you get it and run?"

Marius let out a spluttering laugh. "Yeah, right. Eddie is dead and it's all my fucking fault. You think I'm gonna be a greedy bastard and steal the money from my oh-so-amazing family? No, Vince is going to pay for what he did." Marjorie cast him the expression of _"I wouldn't be surprised, you've done it before."_

"You know they-"

"Yeah, I fucking know Marjorie." _I know they're not my family, but it's nice to think I have one.._ "Care to rub anything else in?"

"Will you stop being a dick for two seconds and listen to my advice?" she asked pointedly, grumbling under her breath. Marius snapped his jaws shut. "Thank you. Now, here's my advice to you: take the money and leave. This shithole with Chayton and Lance is already getting in too deep."

"I can't," he sighed. "You don't know this family, they'd hunt me down and tear out my guts for stabbing them in the back. Trust me, I've looked at all the possibilities since.." God, Marius couldn't say it. He couldn't let himself admit that his brother was really dead. "And they aren't good, alright? Despite him being a cocky asshole, Lance would do anything for Julia- if she asked him to find me, he'd find me. Then I'd be royally _fucked_ with no way to cover my tracks. You see what I mean?"

Marjorie suddenly smirked and Marius didn't like the mischievous look she was giving him. "You're trying so hard to hide it, it's almost funny." She took a step closer and cocked a brow. "Come on, Marius, just admit it. You like them!"

The conman snarled. "I totally _don't_. They're a bunch of raging psychopaths that I can hardly stand being around- besides, the first rule of the life is to never get attached."

"You're attached."

"I'm not."

"I think you are."

"I'm-"

"God, Marius, can't you just admit that you love something for once in your life?" Her eyes flickered with sympathy. "We all knew the situation with you and Eddie. How your mother-"

He raised a hand to stop her from continuing. "Yes, unfortunately I'm aware of how my mother was. I had to live with her crazy ass for twelve years."

"I know it hurt you. It must have been traumatic to see her overdose."

Grief clawed at his throat and Marius's eyes prickled with tears. He let out a loud breath, trying so hard to not show what he was feeling. But damn, was it hard- no one had ever really admitted to him that they knew what he'd seen and been trough. That they knew how hard he'd had to care for Eddie and provide for a broken, orphaned family. Two fucked up kids that only had each other to live for- who would want to adopt that?

Marius hadn't realized he was crying until Marjorie stepped forward and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. He wiped at his tears furiously, trying to make them go away. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, I should never have come here." The brown-haired male turned away, making a beeline towards the door. However, the female was quicker and jumped in front of him, sighing heavily and embracing the conman. Neither of them particularly _liked_ physical contact, but there were a few moments where it truly meant a lot to the pair, this being one of those times.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice broken. "I have to do this for Eddie. This isn't about money. It's not about me getting something in the end and walking away a free man. I just want to have one last chance to save my brother, goddamnit."

Marjorie pulled away and pecked him on the cheek in a friendly way. "Marius, I... I understand what you need to do. I know why you're doing this and that's the only reason I'm not getting in your way."

He smothered out a chuckle. "Not like you'd be able to do anything, anyway."

"That's true," she admitted sadly. "Marius, I don't want to lose you. You're the most important person in my life and we've known each other for a long time. I don't want you to die, but I also don't want to see you destroy yourself.. What do I choose?"

"I'm going to destroy myself if I live," he said, brows furrowing slightly. "It won't matter whether or not you stop me. It'll end in death every time. So.. At least let me go out in a way I want to?"

Marjorie looked torn but, after a few idle moments of silence, she nodded and patted his shoulder affectionately. "I trust you, Marius. I know you're doing the right thing and I admire that. Please, if you need help, call me, okay?" She snorted. "Just don't make me play mom again."

Marius smiled a bit. "Hmm, we'll see. Maybe I should wait it out just to see you look fifty again."

"Smartass," the British woman scoffed, emotion welling in her eyes. "I'll see you, Marius."

"In another life? Yes. Yes, you will."

_That is, if I die— which I will most likely succeed in doing after I make Vince feel like the worst human being on the planet._

A small smile flitted over his features as he walked out of the library.

_Revenge at its finest. Charlie is going to be cursing at us for not doing something as great for him. But that's what makes this special._

_That's what makes this for Eddie. And I intend to spark a revolution that no one will ever forget. Because that's what family does. We protect each other..._

_Even if it ends in giving away your last breath._

 

* * *

 Carly

Carly hadn't been paying attention to the speaker too much, browsing through Amazon and trying to find something nice to buy. She suddenly heard a grunt come from Pete and the teen lifted her head hopefully. She heard a car door closing, footsteps, and finally a voice. It'd taken him long enough to get to the city!

The first vocal sound to come through the headphones was, surprisingly, that of a British woman's. Carly's eyebrows raised in slight confusion, especially when she heard the formal voice say, "Hi, how may I-"

But she cut off almost as soon as she'd started, almost like she recognized Pete. _So they know each other? Unless she was talking to someone else?_

"Marius." An unwelcoming feeling settled in Carly's stomach and she froze, her heart beating out of her chest with her blood seeming to become ten degrees colder. _Marius? Like the Marius that I looked up on Taylor's computer that wasn't Pete? Or is it an alias? It must be; there's no other reason why she would call him that!_ The teen could hear slight contentment in the woman's voice, as if she was happy to see him. _Oh god, no, please don't let this be some nasty shit I'm gonna have to listen to. But at the same time it would be interesting-_ She mentally slapped herself _. No! Stop it! Just listen and don't get distracted..._

"Marjorie." The word rolled off of Pete's familiar voice with ease. Okay, they definitely knew each other. _Odd, I've never heard him mention a Marjorie. A secret girlfriend?_

"I didn't expect you to show up so early. After what you said last night, I have to admit I was a little worried." And then Carly remembered- this was the woman Pete had been talking to the night before! Now it all clicked together! So her cousin had to be here to discuss Eddie, right? Most likely? His friend that had died? She smirked. _Damn, I should be a detective_. However, shaking away those self-righteous thoughts, the black-haired girl continued to listen carefully. She wanted to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"Well, you know my reasons."

A pause.

"You weren't nearly as upset when Charlie-"

"Eddie was my _fucking_ brother." Marjorie didn't speak and Carly was shocked to hear Pete so angry. "Not some guy who I was close to. Yeah, Charlie's death affected all of us, but you can blame me."

 _Charlie? Who the hell is Charlie? He died, I know that- but why does Pete say for her to blame them? Who's this "us"? Ugh, so many questions!_ Carly's eyes widened when she realized what Pete had said before. _Wait.. wait! What the hell? Did Pete just say Eddie was his brother? Now I'm no master at family trees but I sure as hell know Aunt Maggie didn't have any more kids after Pete- he was an only child. So what the fuck is he talking about?!_

She tried to calm herself but suspicion didn't soothe her nerves. _I know I told Sam I didn't think Pete was who he said he was...but there's no way in hell I was right. Everyone blew me off like I was crazy, and I... no. That's too insane, he knows too much to not be who he says he is_. She shook her head. _Maybe Pete's just comparing Eddie as a brother? They couldn't have been blood related- that would mean I have a long-lost-now-dead cousin I never knew and that no one else in my family knew either. I just can't see it._ She stopped, hesitating. _Unless it's a half-brother to Pete and he never told us.. but I can't imagine that's true._ Realizing she'd missed some of the conversation, Carly snapped back into reality.

"Exactly!" That was Pete's voice. "I didn't _mean_ to get us caught, but I  _did_ , okay? Karolina, Eddie and me watched as Vince blew a bullet straight into Charlie's chest. Do I still get nightmares? Yes. Do I still feel guilt? Yes. But I was able to move on. I'm not sure..."

_Oh, god... god, Pete saw- he saw murder? And he.. he blames himself? Who's Karolina and who is Vince?-_

The speaker cut out for a moment and Carly slammed her hands down in frustration, praying to God she wasn't going to miss this. _No! Please no! I have to hear the rest!_ After a few moments, the bug muffled back into her ear, the words sifting through like a fluttering moth. She let out a sigh of relief, trying to catch up on the current place of the talk.

"...let me _finish_?" Marjorie's annoyed sigh crackled into her ear and Carly couldn't stop a chuckle from leaving her lips... until she heard what was said next. "Karolina told me that you freaked out after Eddie- well, you know. After his toe was cut off. She also enlightened me on the fact that you had a tank of gasoline and planned to set Vince's whole place on fire." Marjorie crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. "Is this the kind of stupid I'm going to have to watch you go through with?"

Carly's jaw dropped and she was dumbfounded. _Eddie... Eddie had his toe chopped off? And- And so Pete tried... to set this Vince guy's house or whatever on fire? So Karolina, she's important, but I've never heard her speak before, or even heard anything about her, for that matter._ She felt sadness tug at her heartstrings. _How did we not know what was going on with Pete?_

Her mind countered back. _He hides it too well._ And suddenly she wondered if Pete had gone to Marjorie just to explain some suicidal plan. Carly really hoped not. _Either way, I'm showing the rest of the family this tape after this conversation ends. They'll know what to do_. Determined, the teen leaned back and listened.

"I don't know. I'm still contemplating on whether or not this crazy ass family will provide any leverage for me. I doubt it." Carly was a little offended then remembered she felt the same way, but became instantly confused. _Leverage..?_

"Is the money still there? Can you get it and run?"

A laugh from her cousin. "Yeah, right. Eddie is dead and it's all my fucking fault. You think I'm gonna be a greedy bastard and steal the money from my oh-so-amazing family? No, Vince is going to pay for what he did."

_He was... wait was he actually thinking of stealing-_

"Will you stop being a dick for two seconds and listen to my advice?" Marjorie. "Thank you. Now, here's my advice to you: take the money and leave. This shithole with Chayton and Lance is already getting in too deep."

_Pete. No. Don't agree to do this- I know this isn't you!_

"I can't," Pete sighed. Carly let out a breath of relief then became aware of the fact that Marjorie knew about both Lance and Chayton- whoever the latter was. She scowled. _Oh, so someone who isn't even in our family knows, but_ I _don't?_

"You don't know this family, they'd hunt me down and tear out my guts for stabbing them in the back. Trust me, I've looked at all the possibilities since.." Silence. "And they aren't good, alright? Despite him being a cocky asshole, Lance would do anything for Julia- if she asked him to find me, he'd find me. Then I'd be royally _fucked_ with no way to cover my tracks. You see what I mean?"

 _He's smart. But that means he's thought about this before- he's fucking thought about stealing the money from his family!_ Disgust bubbled in her chest. _What the hell?_

An almost playful tone sunk into Marjorie's words. "You're trying so hard to hide it, it's almost funny. Come on, Marius, just admit it. You like them!"

Her cousin snarled. "I totally _don't_. They're a bunch of raging psychopaths that I can hardly stand being around- besides, the first rule of the life is to never get attached."

Carly frowned. _"The life"? Also, I'm not crazy! I'm actually quite charming and un-psychopathic!  Besides, why would Pete care about loving his family? Even I'm attached. That has to mean something._

"You're attached."

"I'm not."

"I think you are."

"I'm-"

"God, Marius, can't you just admit that you love something for once in your life?" Was that sympathy? "We all knew the situation with you and Eddie. How your mother-"

"Yes, unfortunately I'm aware of how my mother was. I had to live with her crazy ass for twelve years."

Oh.

Maybe she could finally understand a bit more about Aunt Maggie, but Pete' words were cryptic nonetheless.

_And Marjorie said "you and Eddie." Fucking hell. I'm so confused..!_

"I know... hurt you... traumatic.." The microphone shifted in and out of frequency and Carly mentally cursed.

And then something truly shocking happened.

Pete _cried_. This was only the second time she'd heard him doing such but still.. he hid it so well, but in front of Marjorie it seemed to simply.. spill. That means they're close. They have to be close. There's no other way he'd show that emotion around her.

"I'm sorry," Pete suddenly whispered, his voice broken. "I have to do this for Eddie. This isn't about money. It's not about me getting something in the end and walking away a free man. I just want to have one last chance...save..goddamnit."

There was a brief moment of silence and Carly almost wondered if he'd found the bug and was purposefully muffling it. _No, then he would've smashed it and erased the history of this tape. He hasn't found it._

"...won't matter whether or not you stop me. It'll end in death every time. So.. At least let me go out in a way I want to?" Whoa, wait, wait wait wait- was Pete- holy fuck. _No. That's not good. Is he... is he trying to say to say that-?_

"Smartass," the British woman scoffed emotionally. "I'll see you, Marius."

"In another life? Yes. Yes, you will."

_Oh, fucking hell._

_I know what those words mean. Oh, god. Oh god oh god oh god._

_Pete is going to try and kill Vince... and he's going to hurt himself in the process._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’ALL I was too excited to hold back and after literally writing 50+ pages I aDDED A THIRD PART WHICH WILL BE RELEASED WHEN I FINISH. But this is the middle of the story bUT I thought it would be a nice place to leave off before the family hears the tape and the final battle is shown ;)
> 
> ANYWHO I hope you enjoyed!!!! Just one more part and I’ll be finishing my longest oneshot yet!! (It’s already 110+ pages oh) 
> 
> PLEASE PLEASE leave feedback!! Comments, kudos, bookmark, subscribe, wHATEVER just please it’ll motivate me!!!! Thank you all so much!! Can’t wait for part three!! <3


	3. The End

Everyone in the room was silent. Carly's eyes flitted around to each of her family members, studying their reactions just as she'd done with Pete. She held her breath, anxiously tapping her fingers against her jacket. _Was I wrong to show them this? Should I have kept it a secret for Pete's sake?_ Everything in her head said she'd done the right thing, but it didn't stop the guilt that tore apart her chest.

Audrey was beyond pissed. Her eyes held such fire the teen wondered if it could set the house aflame. Julia looked shocked, sitting down and simply staring. Taylor's eyes were narrowed slightly, leaning against the wall frame, while Otto just seemed..betrayed. Maybe a little heartbroken, either for what could've happened to the money or for Pete. However, he seemed forgiving, nonetheless.

"He was going to betray us." Carly snapped her head toward the direction of her grandmother, watching with wide eyes as Audrey lifted herself to her whole height. "He was going to steal the money! Can- can you believe that?! I always knew I didn't trust him. He's the son of Maggie! How trustworthy can he be?" Otto rubbed his hand across his wife's back but she slapped him away. "Where is he? I need to talk to him. I need to make sure he knows we know."

"Audrey, let's think about this," Otto countered. "He said he could have, but he didn't, right? Besides, you heard the last part-"

"Yes, Otto, I heard the last part." She curled her lip. "It doesn't change my mind about him."

"Whoa, shouldn't we not be so quick to judge?" Julia scowled at her grandmother. "You did pawn collateral, right?"

"That's not a betrayal to the family!" Audrey's hands slammed down on the table and everyone went silent. Carly looked away awkwardly.

Taylor had been quiet this whole time, then seemed to have a revelation about something. "Wait. Wait." He straightened up. "Vince." The policeman looked at his sister, Julia. "Remember when I kidnapped Pete to take on a camping trip? Yeah, he totally freaked out- I mean, like, terrified for his life. He kept begging for mercy from Vince. When I asked him he..." Taylor looked away, scratching the back of his head. "He told me Vince was the husband of the woman he was seeing. But honestly? I don't think that's true now... I think he's in a lot more trouble than he let on."

"Why wouldn't he come to us?" Otto whispered. "Doesn't he trust us? We could've helped him."

"He's just like Maggie. Runs away at the sight of danger and confrontation." Audrey turned her back to them, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

"You do realize that whatever he's doing, he's doing it tonight." All eyes turned to Carly. She crossed her arms, furrowing her brows. "Who cares what he said he was gonna do? His friend is dead and he wants revenge. We don't have time for arguing."

"Who _cares_?" Audrey scowled. " _I_ care! I care because we can't just let it go when family admits they wanted to steal from you."

"Well you know what?" Otto staggered up, looking determined. "To hell what Pete was going to do. We need to help our grandson."

Julia and Carly nodded, Taylor looking uncertain and Audrey still pissed off. "And what do you propose we do to stop him?" her grandmother spat out.

"That's true. We don't even know where this Vince person is," Taylor agreed.

The teen smirked, her eyes flickering over to her sister with a knowing gaze. "Well, you know how Julia helped me plant the bug on him? I don't think I mentioned-"

She clicked another tab on her computer and turned the screen around for everyone to see.

"We don't need to guess. It'll show us where he goes right here."

 

* * *

Marius

Marius watched the sun dip below the horizon and recede into the abyss. Bright white stars speckled across the navy sky like brushed streaks of paint and the moon hung low to the ground. The breeze was light and his hair hardly ruffled as the conman stood up from his place on the bench, hands stuffed in his pocket. His eyes were dark and Marius hardly looked like himself- just a man with the dark intent to kill.

 _But he deserves it_. Marius turned and began to walk. _He killed Eddie. He murdered him in cold blood just to mock me. And you know what? No one fucks with my family. No one gets to do that to me._

The brown-haired male sighed heavily and looked down, turning the gun over in his hands. Wedged inside his backpack was a carton of gas and a pack of matches. Humming lightly to himself, Marius leaned back against a tree and took a cigarette out, the fire sparkling against the tip as it rested between his lips. He inhaled the smoke, a fuzzy feeling swelling inside his chest, his mind numbing over for a moment.

_I'm doing this. I'm going to kill Vince. Definitely turn his place into ashes. And then what? Do I die along with him? Do I let myself fall or do I continue to pick myself up and go? Marius grunted. What's the point? I have nothing left to live for, anyway._

Convincing himself of that fact, Marius threw the cigarette to the ground and put it out with the heel of his shoe. The conman scanned the buildings around him, lights flickering in the growing darkness of the night.

_It's time._

Marius had carefully (or as carefully as a fucked up man could) constructed a plan that he felt would work best on his behalf. The male wasn't exactly the strongest of people- he'd let bigger guys beat the shit out of him before- but if he could trap a guard for a split second then everything would flow nicely. But I only have one shot at this. If it goes to hell, I'm dead. I'm dead and so is anyone else close to me. That notion caused a lump to form in his throat

Letting out a heavy breath, Marius allowed a small, genuine smile to fall on his features. "Love ya, Eddie. I'll see you soon, hopefully. Hm?" He looked up to the sky and proceeded to shrink in on himself, weaving in between parked cars, crickets chirping loudly in the night. _There's one thing I won't miss_. He carelessly walked through the street and a car horn blared in his ears. _Won't miss assholes either. Including myself._

And now here he was, standing at the door to the underground casino. Marius hasn't realized his hands were shaking until he badly missed ringing the bell. Trying to calm himself down, the conman sucked in a deep breath. _I can do this. It'll just be the last thing I do._

"PETE!"

Everything became a haze for the next few moments. Marius recounted himself grabbing a guard who opened the door and twisting him in a chokehold, stuffing the gun to the back of his head. "Don't move, asshole, or it'll be your brains that's splattered all over that door." The guard obliged and dropped his weapons, Marius breaking away with the gun still aimed. The conman hardly remembered his alias being used and he turned for a split second, eyes widening at the sight.

 _No_.

It felt like his lungs had deflated. His mind, once void and careless, was stuffed with emotions that caused a strangled cry to leave his lips. Why did his fucking fake family have to be here? How the hell had they even found him? He'd covered his tracks, right? Had someone followed him? No, he would've noticed. Where did he go wrong?

"Pete, what in God's name are you doing?" Otto rushed forward but Julia held him back, whispering something in his ear. His eyes went wide when he saw the guard standing against the wall.

"Pete. H-Heeeey buddy, drop the gun for me, will you?" The brown-haired male watched as a metallic glint shone in Taylor's pocket and he raised the gun to the guard.

"Point that gun and me and I'll kill him." Marius's voice was chipped and icy, his eyes shadowed over with killer instincts. Carly and Julia were shocked. Otto had no words; Taylor shook his head desperately, while Audrey..god, Audrey looked so disappointed.

_Why do I care?_

"You wouldn't," Taylor said in a choked whisper.

"I would," Marius snapped back, shifting closer to the door. "It won't be long until I'm surrounded. I suggest you leave before something bad happens to you as well."

"This is ludicrous!" Audrey snarled, her face betraying nothing but pure rage. "You can't go around killing and threatening people!"

Marius's heart dropped into his stomach, his fists clenching. _What does she know?_ "You don't even know why I'm doing this. Stay out of it before more people get hurt."

"No!" she bellowed. "I won't. I'm staying right here until you come with me and stop this madness."

_She's going to expect me to comply. She thinks I'm still her loyal, loving grandson. Well guess what? My brother fucking died. I won't back off just because some old hag tells me to._

"No."

Audrey visibly flinched. "I could die if you don't."

"Fine."

She had no words after that, so instead Julia took a step closer. "Pete, just come with us. You don't have to do this."

"I do," he spat.

“...why?” Otto looked broken, his eyes like cracked glass. Marius felt a pang of regret but knew he had to do this. If the plan was initiated now, no one was going to stop him.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, barely audible for even the guard next to him to hear. But Carly heard it, and Marius watched her eyes grow wide with sincere sadness. “You’re the family I never had. I wish I could act normal but I can’t. I have to do this.”

“It’s for Eddie?” Carly asked. Marius flinched visibly, his fingers trembling.

“And Vince? Pete, buddy- we’ll help you out! Always!” Taylor grinned a sloppy smile. “We _want_ to. Just tell us next time and we’ll be here.”

Audrey sighed. “Yes, yes. Despite us knowing you were going to steal from your own family, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

Julia smirked, nudging Carly. “The two best sisters are here. Who’d let our good ‘ole cousin throw himself into danger without any helping hands?”

Marius didn’t know what to say. His heart swelled, his eyes watered with tears; everything was so... _genuine_. They actually cared about him even after what he’d done.

The one time he’d done something bad his mother had beat him senseless. This was so...different.

_“You stole?”_

_Ten-year-old Marius blinked at his mother, stunned. A stack of crumpled five dollar bills had been held out in his hands until she’d slapped them away angrily._

_“It was for you,” he tried to explain, shifting uncomfortably. His mother wasn’t usually this vocal about her feelings when Eddie was here. Unfortunately, Marius’s little brother was out across the street playing with some friends._ It’s fine. I can handle it, at least he won’t have to hear any of this.

 _“Me? Does it look like I need your shit?” She stumbled backwards a bit, catching herself on the counter._ She’s drunk _. “You already drove away your dad. Don’t act like you care.”_

_Everything inside Marius’s body was pounding. He was trying his best not to cry, but god, how could he not? Guilt crushed his emotions and it felt like splinters were being driven into his heart. Tears welled in his brown eyes and he sucked in a breath, looking down at his feet. “I’m sorry...”_

_“Don’t_ fucking _mumble!” His mother grabbed his chin aggressively and turned his face up. “And look at me when I’m talking to you. Now what the fuck did you say? Did you say you’re sorry?”_

_“Yes..”_

_“SORRY?! THAT’S FUCKING ALL?”_

_A hand being pounded on his face jerked him back into reality. Marius crumpled to the ground, gasping in pain and beginning to sob when more blows landed on his chest and stomach. He curled in on himself, trying to wipe his tears away, but the agony sinking into his bones wasn’t letting up. Neither was his mother._

_“HOW SORRY ARE YOU REALLY?!”_

_“I’M SORRY!” Marius cried out, trying to hold his mother’s hand. All she did was slap him harshly._

_“Don’t touch me. Don’t even look at me right now. God, your father would’ve been so disappointed. Oh, wait. He isn’t here. Do you know why?”_

_He whimpered in response, causing his mother to grab his hair and pull his head back. “DO YOU KNOW WHY?!”_

_“BECAUSE OF ME!” he screamed._

_Everything went silent for a moment. Eventually, Marius’s mother dropped her son back to the ground and turned, trudging up to the stairs to her bedroom. Marius cried quietly, shaking violently._

Please don’t let Eddie see me like this.

 _The front door cracked open, a beacon of sunlight shining down on the brown-haired boy. He saw the outline of his younger family member and cried harder._ No! He wasn’t supposed to see! No!

_“E-Eddie, go... go..!” Marius’s voice was scratching at the edges of his throat, causing him to moan in pain._

_Eddie came running up to his brother, eyes wide and watering already. He stared at the bloody heap of flesh in front of him. “Marius!” Eddie tugged at his brother’s shirt but it didn’t do anything. “Marius! Please!” The smaller boy fell down on Marius and wept into his chest._

_“It was just some bullies at school,” he managed to choke out, smiling weakly and patting Eddie’s back. “I’m fine. I’m fine..”_

_“Are you gonna die?” the dark brown-haired kid asked._

_Marius let out a soft laugh and shook his head weakly. “No, Ed. Just a little hurt. Why don’t you go back to your friends?”_

_Eddie hung back, hesitating, noticing the pleading gaze of his brother. So, as reluctantly as a eight-year-old could, he turned and slowly left the house._

_Marius wailed._

“..Really?” Marius surprised himself with his own voice, drifting back into the true situation he was in. He realized he’d responded to whatever had been said last.

“Of course.” Carly smiled but dropped it immediately. “Pete, look- look behind you! Someone’s coming!”

Noticing the alarm on the family’s faces, he whipped around and pointed the gun at the person who was rushing toward him.

Everything froze.

Marius’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, hurt spiraling in his chest.

“..Karolina?”

The beautiful woman stopped dead in her tracks, looking at the conman with a dumbfounded expression. “Marius? This- What-what are you doing? Didn’t we talk about this?”

The brown-haired male couldn’t respond. It felt like he was choking on his words and nothing would come out. “I- God, Karolina, why did you rush out like that? What if it hadn’t been me and you’d been shot?” Marius couldn’t stop the concern shifting into his tone but shook it away almost immediately. “No, shouldn’t I be asking you what you’re doing?”

Karolina just recognized the faces of the Murphy family. “Wait- M- Pete I-“

“It’s Marius.” He wasn’t too concerned with everyone else hearing this conversation. He’d wanted to talk to her, anyway. “And really? You care? Just like you cared for Eddie?”

Regret flashed inside her eyes. “Marius, I’m sorry for what happened. I really am. But you have to know I tried.”

“I should’ve done it,” he hissed. “I should’ve burned this place up the first time. But you stopped me. Now I’m wondering if it was even because you cared about me.”

“I do!” she exclaimed, moving closer. “You could’ve died. It was a bad idea and Eddie wasn’t in any shape to run with you. They cut his toe off, for god’s sake.”

“I know, I heard,” Marius grunted, gun now pointed at the guard who was trying to crawl away. “Because of me.”

The family looked shocked to hear Marius say it out loud in person.

“Then why are you angry at me?” Karolina whispered.

“Because you didn’t even try to leave after they killed him. Did you watch? Were you there? I know Vince was- he’s the one that killed Eddie, which is why I’m here in the first place.” The conman straightened up, allowing Taylor to walk closer.

Karolina didn’t reply.

“Exactly,” he sneered, his throat burning with tears that wanted to spill. “Yeah. My br- my friend is dead because no one stepped in.”  
Carly caught Marius’s stumble and looked at him quizzically. “I couldn’t do anything, really, except get the money. But shit got messy and I had too many things to worry about. While you sat there in the nice little casino, not having to worry about anything. And since when did you start talking to Marjorie again? I figured she wouldn’t be so happy to hear your voice, or vice versa.”

The female looked down. “That’s true. But I knew Vince would get suspicious if I did anything- I was just-“

“Saving yourself, I know.”

“No! It was for the plan! I- I figured that it would continue after this-“

“Yeah? Well it was called off when I listened to Eddie die. I get it, okay? ‘Never drop the con.’ But this was the one instance you should have instead of standing on the sidelines. I specifically said that we wouldn’t let anything happen to him. I thought you’d remember that after Charlie.” The words left Marius’s lips before he even had time to process them. Karolina was crying at this point.

He felt a pant of regret as he watched her break down but the anger wasn’t going to stay inside for much longer. His whole life, Marius had been thrown around like recyclable trash by the people he loved. Because of that, Eddie was dead. _I’m doing this for Eddie and no one else. He’s the only one that truly believed what I said and loved me for it. Anyone on Vince’s side is going to fucking pay. I’ll make sure of that._

Karolina tried to grab his hand but he jerked away harshly, eyes fiery. “Don’t touch me.” His tone seemed to send the family off guard a bit. “My best friend is gone. Don’t make this about yourself!”

“Marius, Vince is coming,” she said, wiping tears away. “Get away while you can.” Her eyes flickered toward the Murphies. “Save your family while you can.”

“They already agreed to help me, so either go back inside or join the show. Either way, I don’t care. But I think you already made your choice the day Eddie died.” The gap between he and Karolina now was evident as Marius glared at her, the gun still clutched between his fingers. Taylor cautiously walked up behind his “cousin” and the conman felt a little calmer from his presence, nodding at the other male gratefully. For once, Marius appreciated these people.

“Well, well, well.”

Everyone froze. Marius stiffened up and protectively held the pistol closer to his side, watching as the man himself came out into the light. His brown hair was neatly flicked back, his hazel eyes holding a look of irony and humor. It really pissed the conman off and he had to stop himself from punching the guy in the face right now. No, Marius had to wait; he wanted Vince to beg for forgiveness.

“Nice of you to join the party,” Marius sneered, unconsciously backing away. Vince suddenly seemed very large and very intimidating.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Vince’s gaze fell upon the family. “And who is this? I wasn’t aware you had friends, Marius.”

“We’re his _family_!” Audrey snarled, marching forward. Julia held her grandmother back cautiously.

Vince smiled and let out a knowing laugh. “Hmm, your family? That’s interesting.” He dipped his head forward slightly to them. “Welcome to my casino. I’m Vince.”

Taylor had a look that said _“I know why you were scared of him now.”_ Carly fidgeted uncomfortably while Taylor stayed by Marius’s side. The conman was 96% sure Otto and Audrey were going to attack like rabid dogs after knowing what pain Vince had inflicted on their grandson.

When no one replied, the older man made it his mission to fill the silence with even more awkward talk. “So, what brings you here, Marius? What was so important you needed to bring along your whole family?”

The conman wanted to cut in and correct Vince by explaining how this fuckin’ crazy ass family had followed him here and tapped him but Marius knew he couldn’t allow the words to leave his mouth. No, Marius wouldn’t give Vince the satisfaction. So, instead, he narrowed his eyes and watched as Karolina “regretfully” stood back beside Vince. She looked down, not speaking as the other man wrapped a firm arm around her.

Marius wasn’t sure he could watch her be physically intimate with the person that had killed his brother.

The conman had a hard time speaking for a moment, his fists clenching. He worried that if he spoke all the tears he’d held in would spill.

_“Marius?”_

_The teen snapped his head up, hissing in pain when Eddie dabbed one of his wounds with too much pressure. His brother immediately let out a gasp. “O- oh god! Oh god I’m sorry I didn’t mean to- are- are you-“_

_“I’m fine, Ed,” the sixteen-year-old laughed half-heartedly, ruffling his sibling’s hair. “What’s up? You said my name a second ago.”_

_Eddie was quiet for a moment, fiddling with his fingers anxiously. It was as if he was trying to piece together the right words. “Marius, you remember all that time ago when I walked in on you beaten to hell on the floor?”_

_The older male was instantly quieter, his heart pounding against his ribcage._ Why’s he bringing this up? Doesn’t he know I don’t want to talk about it? As far as he’s concerned, it was a couple bullies at school.

_However, Marius knew he had to respond soon without looking too suspicious. He sighed a bit and wiped blood off of his wrists. “Yeah.”_

_“It was just like this.” The high schooler felt his muscles tense up and he couldn’t find it inside himself to look up at Eddie._

_“Yeah? What are you saying?” Marius tried to distract himself with poking at one of his open cuts. Eddie ripped his hand away and held it gingerly, frowning._

_“Did mom.... did mom do it to you?”_

_Marius felt the “Yes” clicking on the back of his tongue. God, he wanted to say it so fucking badly but he couldn’t. No, he swore to not be selfish and that meant preserving his fourteen-year-old brother’s idea of their mother. There was no reason to tear apart their relationship. The relationship Marius would never get to experience._

_“Absolutely not!” he quickly snapped, eyes blazing in feigned anger._ God, I wish I could tell him. But I can’t. I never will _. “Why would you even ask me that?”_

_Eddie looked hurt, his blue eyes flickering down to Marius’s injuries. “Nevermind... forget I asked. Let’s just get you cleaned up.”_

“You know why,” Marius responded, looking down for a vague moment.

“No, I don’t think I do.” Vince held his arms up. “Care to educate me?”

The conman felt outraged that the other man would be so dense to treat Marius like this. He bit his lip and staggered, holding his gun upwards. _“You fucking killed Eddie!”_

Everyone went into a frenzy when the first bullet was shot.

 _“What? They fucking_ what _?”_

_Eddie shifted on his weight in apprehension. “L-Look, it’s nothing. They just stole my wallet, I tried to go up and ask for it but... they aimed a punch for me.” Marius could see the forming bruise on his brother’s cheek and anger bubbled in his chest, spilling over into his mind. Without saying another word, the seventeen-year-old whipped around and made his way toward the six guys that had bullied his family. Marius was fucking pissed._

_“Marius! No!” Eddie pulled on his older brother’s jacket desperately. “If you hurt them they’re gonna forever see me as the whiny freshman that has to have his brother deal with everything!” The younger kid’s eyes pooled with tears. “Please..!”_

_That made Marius stop. He frowned and hugged his sibling, appreciating the warmth that fluttered his heart awake for a moment. “Don’t worry, I’ll just blackmail them into never messing with you again. I’m not exactly the strongest kid here. It’s a win-win, trust me.”_

_Eddie looked skeptical but allowed him to go anyway. Marius smiled and turned, stuffing his hands in his pocket as he walked by the guys. He eyed the one that had stolen from his brother for a moment before bumping into him, gasping when he was shoved back harshly. “The fuck you think you’re doin’, freak?” The seniors scowled down at Marius._

_Huffing, the brown-haired male shrugged. “Nothing much. Oh.” Marius slipped a white, powdery substance in a plastic bag out of his jacket pocket and gazed upon it with disinterest. “Hm. Wonder where I got this from.”_

_The raging look from Garret said it all. He ran forward and slammed Marius against a locker, his lip curling. “You fucking bitch, give it-“_

_“Excuse me! Mr. Talbot!” Garret’s head lifted instantly when he recognized the superintendent of the school, letting go of Marius’s shirt and dropping him. “What do you think you’re doing?”_

_“He- He stole something from me!” the senior hissed, pointing an accusing finger at Marius. “Check the kid! I swear!”_

_“Woah, what’s that?” Marius blinked in “confusion”, the principal following his gaze to something hanging out of Garret’s pocket. Her eyes widened and she rushed forward. “Is that drugs?!”_

_Marius flashed a smirk at the older male and pushed himself to his feet, watching as the principals took Garret away. The senior’s friends shot Marius glances that held just enough fear to satisfy the teen. When they were gone, Eddie rushed up to his brother with wide eyes. “M-Marius I’m sorry! But he pushed you and was hurting you, I-I couldn’t watch, I had to tell the principal-“_

_“Don’t worry, Ed,” Marius smiled, handing the wide-eyed freshman his wallet. “You did exactly what I wanted you to do.”_

Marius hadn’t even realized he’d pulled the trigger. He was so enveloped in his emotions his body must’ve just taken over and... fuck, what was going on right now? Everything seemed almost like a haze.

 _Oh, right_.

Taylor had shoved himself onto Marius, causing the bullet to ricochet on the wall next to Vince, missing Karolina by inches. She screamed and clutched onto her boyfriend, the casino manager watching with interest and slight shock and how Taylor had handled the situation. His attention eventually shifted back to Marius, who was glaring at his cousin.

“Why would you do that?!” the conman barked, sizing up Taylor. “I could’ve killed him! But no! You had to _fucking_ stop me!”

“I... I’m sorry, okay?” His fake cousin actually looked uncertain of what to do. “My instincts took over! I didn’t want you to accidentally hit anyone...”

“It wouldn’t have been accidental,” Marius sneered.

Carly grumbled and shoved Taylor aside, standing by her older cousin’s side. “Pete, you do what you need to do. I’ll follow you.” She beamed with tenacity and Marius found a small smile flitting across his features.

_“I want to learn!” Eddie demanded, huffing as he watched Marius shuffle the deck of cards. The older male cocked a brow and leaned back a little, looking his brother up and down._

_“Hmmm.” Marius pursed his lips, about to turn the offer down until he saw the pleading look in Eddie’s gaze. God, his little shit of a sibling always managed to break him. Marius looked away and groaned. “Uhuuuggh.... Okay, fine.”_

_“YES!!!” Eddie cheered, pumping his fist in the air. Marius allowed a smile to cross over his face and tilted his head to the side. Maybe it would be fun for Marius to teach his high school senior brother, after all._

“Pete? You okay?” Carly’s eyes widened when she noticed the tears spilling down his cheeks. Vince eyed him cautiously, Karolina too shaken up to even lift her head. Audrey, Julia, Taylor, and Otto had never even seen Marius cry before, so this was something definitely new. They weren’t even sure exactly what to do...

Until Carly hugged him. And it was like something inside Marius split open with love and he let out a choked sob, tentatively wrapping his arms back around her. She smiled after breaking away. “Sometimes you just need a good hug, ya know?”

“Stare hard, retard,” Otto hissed at Vince. “How about you come forward or get tackled. You’re going to prison.”

The casino manager let out a loud laugh. “A-ha, yes. For what?”

“For the murder of Eddie Josipovic and the illegal running of an underground casino.” A guard swiftly moved forward and cuffed Vince, who was just as shocked as everyone else. “Don’t try to run. I already called for backup.” Marius heard sirens wailing in the distance and his eyes grew wide. What...?

“What? Wali, what is this-“

“I’ve been undercover for the past week guarding Kumar Mukherjee and I’ve been closely watching your actions. After the event two days ago, I called up to headquarters and let them know I’d find the right time to bust you. I think this is the perfect time.” Wali narrowed his eyes toward the family. “Look, I’m gonna be honest here? I’m not going to hold anything against you for wanting to kill this piece of shit.” He scowled at Vince, who seemed oddly quiet in his new predicament. “So get out of here while you can. We can pretend you weren’t even here.”

Marius hardly knew what was going on, numbly nodding and being dragged away by Carly. He was practically shoved into the car and sat between Taylor and Julia, staring straight ahead and making sure not to make eye contact with anyone.

He wasn’t sure what to think of what had just happened. Marius still felt the tingle of revenge spike up his heart rate, but at the same time, would prison not be a worse punishment for Vince? After all, he’d be living the life of the people he’d incriminated.

He smiled slightly at the prospect. Who knows? Maybe Marius would pay his favorite guy a visit some time just to rub it in.

_Most likely not, though. If I ever see Vince’s face again I’m not sure I can hold myself back from clawing out his eyes and murdering the shit out of him._

He sighed and looked down, the gun a memory beating in the back of his mind; besides, some time during this silent car ride back to the farm, Taylor had gotten ahold of the firearm and gently taken it away from Marius. The conman was a little thankful for that, because he was still a little suicidal at the moment.

Eddie was gone. The one person he’d wanted revenge on hadn’t even been physically hurt— so why was Marius content with the past hour’s events? Was it his quick thinking? What had been said? The memories he’d reflected upon? No, it was none of that, Marius was sure... then what?

And then it dawned on him.

 _It was the family_.

Surprisingly, they’d been the ones to get him out of this mess. Marius surely would’ve succeeded in murdering Vince as justice for his brother and he most likely would’ve been arrested for manslaughter. Would he have cared? No, in fact, the conman would have probably turned the gun on himself before anything. After setting the casino on fire, of course...

But this family had stopped him. All the people he’d grown to know (and love, though Marius would never admit it out loud) over the past few months had truly made an impact on his life that he’d never be able to forget.

Dare he say it? Marius was attached.

It was something he’d always told himself to never let happen. But now look; he was clinging onto a family that wasn’t even his own for help and, in return, they’d saved him. Of course, Marius wasn’t fully better and didn’t expect to be any time soon, but he really was appreciative.

Maybe he didn’t want to give this up yet.

Suddenly the engine spluttered off and Marius realized they were in the driveway to the farm. Already? He scratched his head and hopped out after Julia, gazing upon the area with fond eyes.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Otto’s cheering. “We’re making a family dinner! We’ll celebrate what happened tonight!” Audrey rushed after him, shooting Marius a smile, the grandkids following in a slower fashion. The brown-haired male was eventually left outside by himself, slipping his backpack off and sighing heavily.

_It’s over. These past two days have been hell, and I know it’s not going to get much better any time soon, but at least Vince is out of my life and paying for what he did. I hope Eddie is happy wherever he is... proud of me for what I did. He must be. Right?_

Marius smiled and began to walk forward toward the house, but turned when he heard a car pulling up. He cocked a brow and watched as two silhouettes jumped out of the car, eyeing him. “Are you Pete Murphy?”

Marius narrowed his eyes suspiciously, eventually nodding slowly. “Uh, yeah? What-“

He gasped when a bag was thrown over his head. Marius crumpled to the ground and was dragged backwards into the trunk of the car, kicking and screaming, hoping to god at least someone would hear him!

But no one did. And the last thing Marius was able to see before exhaustion pulled him under were the cold, calculating eyes of Vince...

And Eddie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOWZA!! IT’S FINISHED!! And it only took 2 and a half weeks!! :D
> 
> I actually really enjoyed writing this! I improvised the end past when Vince makes his appearance; the rest is basically a lighter twist on what happens in the actual end of season 1. Hope you enjoyed, nonetheless!
> 
> Tell me what you think? I worked really hard on this and I’d truly appreciate your comments, kudos, bookmarks, etc. But mostly comments!! I love feedback and want to hear more from my readers!!
> 
> Anywho, this fic may be finished, but I’m not yet done with Sneaky Pete! @Undine_Goddess_264 and I are doing a collab with some angsty stuff I think everyone will find particularly interesting ;) so look out for that, eh?
> 
> Lastly, I just wanted to thank everyone for the continuous support, and I hope I can make an impact on this community! After all, we totally need more Sneaky Pete fics!!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!! You’re awesome! <3


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